In celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, Breastfeeding Hawaii and Adventist Health Castle present: CHOCOLATE MILK, a feature documentary by Elizabeth Bayne. A Q&A to follow with Tanya Smith-Johnson.

Chocolate Milk (90 minutes) examines how the socioeconomic factors of race and sex influence breastfeeding rates for black mothers in America through the stories of three women.

From sexual objectification of women’s breasts to insufficient maternity leave, there are many reasons why mothers in the U.S. struggle with the decision to breastfeed. Yet advocates argue the long-term health benefits to infants - reduced risk of chronic disease, cancer, asthma and obesity, far outweigh the challenges. Add to this the racial, economic and social disparities that plague the African American community, and it’s no wonder African American women breastfeed at significantly lower rates. Chocolate Milk examines how the socioeconomic factors of race and sex influence breastfeeding rates for black mothers in America through the stories of three women:

TAMI is a first time mother who wants to breastfeed;

RACHA is a third generation midwife; and

LYDIA is a lactation educator.

Chocolate Milk examines the influence of race and sex on breastfeeding rates for African American mothers through these women’s stories to explore breastfeeding’s decline, the undue health burden this places on black infants, and the struggle to bring it back as a cultural norm.